On the surface, the Inspection Department looks like an ordinary mansion, but its internal structure is particularly complicated, with many courtyards in front and back. Some houses in the courtyards have iron windows, and from a distance they look no different from prison cells.
The house where Zhang Binghuan was detained happens to be located in it, but unlike the prison cell, he is free in the house and has people taking care of his daily life and food. It is not so much a detention as it is nothing more than house arrest.
And the only people in the entire Shang Kingdom who could receive this kind of treatment were the imperial officials.
"Brothers, thank you for your hard work! Mr. Director asked me to take Zhang Binghuan to the living room!"
The disciple whispered to the two guards guarding the house. Because the guards in the Inspection Department were all sent by the palace, they were afraid that something would go wrong and the detained officials would escape.
The two guards looked at the token in the disciple's hand and saw that it was the order from the Director of the Inspection Department, so they slowly opened the door and took Zhang Binghuan out after a while.
The disciple waved his hands, indicating that he did not need to be shackled, and then helped Zhang Binghuan to the living room.
"What do you want from me, sir? But is there any news about my son?"
Zhang Binghuan was not worried about his own safety, but was thinking about his son.
The disciple asked doubtfully: "Didn't Mr. Zhang say that your son was in your residence when he was in the palace? He was being controlled by your wife? What? He is missing!"
Facing the disciple's questioning, Zhang Binghuan learned that his son was probably fine and stopped talking.
After a while, the disciple brought Zhang Binghuan to the living room. The director had been waiting for a long time. After seeing Zhang Binghuan, he sent the disciple to close the door.
"Haha, I wonder how comfortable Mr. Zhang is in my inspection department?"
The director's words were particularly harsh. How can I feel comfortable staying in this hellish place?
Zhang Binghuan looked around. The living room was unusually deserted. There were very few murals. He looked at the director in front of him and laughed: "The director is indeed incorruptible. This huge mansion is so plain and cold. It seems like this
The Inspection Department is really something most people don’t want to be in.”
The director sat down, made a cup of tea for him, and then whispered: "Master Zhang, now your life is in the hands of two people. Do you not care about such a big thing at all?"
When Zhang Binghuan heard what he said, he seemed to have thought of it a long time ago, so he smiled indifferently and sat down.
"I can guess who they are without having to say anything, Mr. Secretary! One is His Majesty, and the other must be Sun Guozhang, right?"
Zhang Binghuan said very confidently, which surprised the director.
"You know? So you don't care so much, are you really not afraid of death?"
Zhang Binghuan looked at the cup of hot tea in front of him and swallowed it in one gulp. He seemed not to be afraid of the heat at all: "Mr. Secretary, the cup of tea I just drank is like these two people. No matter how hot it is and cannot be touched, I will not care.
Fearless, I am worried about my son now, other things are completely meaningless."
"Your Majesty wants to kill me because he is afraid that my son will be controlled by Haotian Pavilion and I will rebel; and the father-in-law wants to kill me, we both know it in our hearts. If you had listened to these two people, I would have died by now.
He won't ask me to come and talk at all."
"Someone among them must have come looking for you. If my guess is correct, it should be Tan Zhonghe, the famous person next to Your Majesty. Am I right?"
The director was amazed by Zhang Binghuan's clever mind, so he smiled and nodded.
"Sir Zhang is indeed a smart man. No wonder he takes the position of the pillar of the country. If the incident about your son had not happened, you and the abbot would have been fighting against each other...!"
"Wait a minute! Mr. Secretary, what you said is very inappropriate. I am me, and the father-in-law is the father-in-law. Don't compare them. Why did you call me here?"
The director looked left and right and slowly expressed his doubts.
"Actually, His Majesty doesn't want to kill you. Everyone can see this. Just like what Tan Zhonghe said, he just wants you to spend some time with me. But just now, the head of state has been putting pressure on me. Although I belong to the independent
The government office, but I have to listen to the words of the principal, Mr. Zhang, tell me, what should I do?"
Zhang Binghuan thought for a long time and smiled: "It seems that I misjudged you. Can't Mr. Director see that Mr. Zhang is a spy of Haotian Pavilion? You don't have to listen to his words, or you can listen; but His Majesty probably
It takes time. If I were you, I would just do whatever it takes. You can delay it as long as you can. You don't have to worry about yourself at all. This is the Inspection Department. As long as the evidence cannot be found, your Inspection Department has no right to decide the life or death of officials. Don't you think so?
Do you still need me to teach you?"
The director listened carefully. When he heard that the abbot was a spy of Haotian Pavilion, his pupils suddenly widened. He still couldn't believe that as the abbot of the Shang Kingdom, he had all the rights, why would he do this?
"Master Zhang, it's better not to talk nonsense about this kind of thing. In the court at that time, if the abbot was a spy of Haotian Pavilion, why didn't His Majesty tell him directly?"
Zhang Binghuan looked at the director's yelling and smiled disapprovingly: "Your Majesty has actually known about this for a long time, but the abbot has the power to garrison troops in Nanchi and Beimo. What will be the consequences if he does it at will?
As you and I can imagine, I thought you knew just now, but I didn’t expect Mr. Secretary-General to be too naive to notice such things."
"It doesn't matter if I'm caught or killed, the most important thing is to keep my son!"
Zhang Binghuan's voice became louder and louder, which made the director's ears sting. He slapped the case and yelled: "Zhang Binghuan, your son is controlled by Haotian Pavilion. Now his life or death is uncertain. His Majesty's desire to eradicate your Zhang family is justified.
What qualifications do you have to be so arrogant in front of me!"
Zhang Binghuan also became angry and threw the half cup of tea in his hand to the ground.
"Lord Secretary! Are you really confused or are you pretending to be confused! The ancestor Haotian in Xihuan was destroyed by the Academy Thirteen, but the foundation of the ancestor Haotian has not been touched. He continues to infiltrate Dongchu and the inside of the palace.
It has even penetrated into the court; my son has been with me on expeditions since he was a child, and has fought countless victorious battles. His military power is one-third of the entire Eastern Chu. If the head of the country succeeds, my son will be killed or deposed.
Then what about the military power in my son’s hands! Where should we go from here?”
"Why did your Majesty just imprison me in the Inspection Department and didn't touch my son? That's why you care about this! Your Majesty trusts you to detain me here. You are so stupid. Your Majesty really misjudged you!"
Zhang Binghuan's endless chatter made the director more and more confused. The situation was complicated now, and he had no idea what kind of medicine was being sold in everyone's throat. Besides, he only focused on collecting evidence of the people who deserved to be killed, and had no time to care about other things.
At this time, the disciples who were eavesdropping outside the door were also very surprised. Thinking of the scene when Tan Zhonghe came just now, it seemed that His Majesty really did not want Zhang Binghuan to die. If he could protect him secretly, would he be able to gain His Majesty's favor?
.
While he was thinking about it, the director suddenly shouted, and he quickly opened the door and entered.
I saw that the director's face was gloomy and his hair was a little messy.
"You! Take Zhang Binghuan back to me, and! No matter who you are today, I won't see anyone!"
After hearing this, the disciple quickly helped Zhang Binghuan out. When he turned to close the door, he saw that the director's eyes were dull, and he suddenly became very depressed.
On the way back, the disciple asked insinuatingly: "Master Zhang, who is my master?"
Zhang Binghuan didn't say anything, just breathed heavily, as if there were parts of the conversation he just didn't hear... This chapter has been completed!